Combination cigarette and vanity case



Oct. 15, 1935. H. MAGNUS 2,017,722

COMBINATION CIGARETTE AND VANITY CASE Filed Oct. 27, 1954 Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFICE 7 COMBINATION CHAIstETTE AND VANITY A E Application October 27, 1934, Serial No. 750,282 In Great Britain June 11, 1934 rette and vanity case.

Among the objects of the invention are the provision in such a case of compactness of construction and convenience of manipulation, the

provision of a construction in which the vanity case is entirely separate and isolated from the cigarette case, and in which one case serves as the cover for the other; and the provision of a vanity case in which the powder compartment is conveniently constructed and for which the mirror forms a cover which automatically rises and exposes the powder compartment when the vanity case is opened.

For the attainment of the above mentioned objects and such other objects as will hereinafter appear or be pointed out, I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention in the drawing in which- Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing the case closed;

Figure 2 is a view in perspective similar to Figure 1, but showing the cover of the cigarette case in its open position;

Figure 3 is a view in perspective similar to Figure 1, but showing the cigarette case slid to its rearmost position so as to expose the vanity case;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 55 of Figure 1 and 4 looking in the direction of the respective arrows;

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 is a detail view in perspective of the powder sifter, portions thereof being broken away to more clearly disclose the construction.

On referring to the drawing it will be observed that my combination cigarette and vanity case consists essentially of two parts denoted by ll and I3 respectively, each of which is in the form of a box or tray. The trays H and I3 are held in slidable engagement by interengaging channels H and flanges I5 formed respectively on the upper portion of the sides of the lower tray [3 and the lower portion of the sides of tray I l, as shown in Figure 3. Stops are provided for limiting the motion of the two trays, and these will be described in detail hereinafter. As a result of this construction the upper tray, as a whole, acts as a cover for the lower tray. The upper compartment carries, in hinged relation thereto, a cover IS, the hinge of which is shown at 2!. Besides its function in associating the tray and the cover this hinge also performs the function of acting as a stop to limit the forward motion of the tray II in relation to the tray l3. This it does by contact with the rear 5 ends of the walls of channels IT. The hinge 2! may, if desired, be a spring hinge, so that the cover will open automatically when released. The cover is normally held in place, by a catch, comprising the tongue 3| projecting rearwardly 10 from an upstanding portion 33 of the front wall 34 of the tray l3, and the slot 23, complementary to tongue 3| and adapted to receive the same, which slot is provided in a resilient element 25 fastened to the front wall of the cover IQ of the 16 tray II. A projection 21, forming a part of the element 25, extends through a slot 29 in the front wall of cover l9, and may be manipulated by the user to disengage the tongue 3| from the slot 23, this being effected by pushing the projection 21 20 inward and thereby moving the slot-carrying portion of element 25 rearwardly so as to disengage the tongue 3| from the slot 23. The bottom of the tray II, which at the same time forms the cover of the vanity case, is constituted by a flat 25 member 35. Projecting upwardly from this fiat bottom 35 are the front wall 33 already mentioned, side walls 31 and a rear wall 38. A finger 39, hinged to one of the sides 31, as indicated at 4|, by a hinge which may be of the spring type, so serves to hold the cigarettes in place in the case. A member 34 is carried by the bottom 35 and the ends 36 thereof project through the bottom and engage upstanding portions of a partition 41 carried by the bottom tray, and hereinafter de- 35 scribed in detail, and thereby these ends function as stops limiting the motion of the upper tray II with respect to the lower tray l3. The inner partition or false bottom 41 is provided within the lower tray l3 and this is hung from 40 the upper portions of the walls 45, 41, 49 and comprises a flat portion and a depressed portion 55 forming a powder compartment. Mounted hingedly on the flat portion of the partition 41 is a support A9 for a mirror 5!. The hinge for the 4,5 mirror support 49 is indicated at 53. This hinge is positioned on one side of the powder compartment, so that when the mirror is in a horizontal position it will cover the powder compartment, and is of the spring type, so that when the upper 50 tray slides backward beyond the hinge 53, the mirror will rise automatically to an upright position, as shown in Figure 3.

Due to the constant tendency of the mirror to rise, and its pressure against the bottom 35 of the upper tray, a frictional force is generated that resists too ready displacement of the trays in relation to each other.

Covering the depressed portion, which may contain powder and a powder puff, is shown a powder sifter denoted as a whole by 51, and comprising a rim 59 constituted by two complementary interfitting rings, nesting one within the other and holding between them the sifter screens constituted by two layers of fine wire gauze 6|. The advantages of such double screen construction, which assures proper sifting together with increased mechanical strength, are obvious. For convenience in removing the sifter 5! it may be provided with an ejector 63 having an upper or handle portion 65, and a lower ejecting tongue 51, pivoted at 69 to the rim 59. On moving the part 65 upward about its pivot 69 the tongue 61 is lowered and presses against the bottom of the powder compartment, thereby ejecting the sifter.

The ejecting arrangement is particularly convenient when the powder puff is kept over the powder but beneath the sifter, as thereby ready access to the puff is provided. However, even where the powder puff is kept above the sifter and between the same and the mirror, the convenience of the ejector in lifting the sifter for the purpose of refilling the powder compartment, is obvious.

It will therefore be observed that by my construction I have attained great compactness, whereby the parts are disposed in minimum of space and can be conveniently carried in a handbag or in a pocket. In manipulating the case for use, it is a very simple matter, if a cigarette is desired, to raise the cover of the upper case, one hand being used to hold the lower tray I3 while the other hand manipulates the projection 21 on the cover of the upper tray, to open the upper tray. When, on the other hand, the vanity case is to be used, it is a simple matter, without changing the position of the hands, to slide the upper tray ll backward until the stops 36 limit further motion. Toward the end of this backward motion, the mirror 5| will have assumed its upstanding position, convenient for use, and at the same time the powder puff and compartment are exposed.

It is further possible, without changing the position of the hands to simultaneously, or practically simultaneously, open both the cigarette case and the vanity case. It will be observed that either case may be opened independently of the other and the contents thereof are protected against external influences, as well as against contamination from the contents of the other case.

While I have herein disclosed one embodiment of my invention, it, is to be understood that it may be embodied in many other forms without departing from the spirit thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1., A vanity case comprising a powder compartment and a mirror positioned thereover in spring hinged relation so as to assume an upstanding position and to expose said powder compartment when released, channeled members provided on said vanity case, a cigarette case provided with flanges adapted to engage said, channeled members in sliding relation, said cigarette case being slidable into aposition so as to overlie said mirror and to hold same in position over said powder compartment and out of said position so s to release said mirror, said cigarette case being provided with a hinged cover and with a spring pivoted element adapted to retain cigarettes withinthe case, and stop means adapted to prever'itl further relative sliding of the two cases, after said 5 mirror has assumed its upstanding position.

2. A vanity case comprising a powder com-- partment and a mirror positioned thereover in spring hinged relation so as to assume an upstanding position and to expose said powder 1 compartment when released, channeled members provided on said vanity case, a cigarette case provided with flanges adapted to engage said channeled members in sliding relation, said cigarette case being slidable into a position so as to overlie said mirror and to hold same in position over said powder compartment and out of saidposition so as to release said mirror, said cigarette- 7 case being provided with a hinged cover and with a spring pivoted element adapted to retain ciga- 2o rettes within the case.

3. In a combined vanity and cigarette case, a lower compartment comprising bottom walls,- side walls and a top wall, said top wall having raised portions along the sides thereof and a eeri an tral depressed portion, and channels located at the top'of said compartment along two opposed sides, and said upper compartment comprising bottom walls and side walls, and having flange members along two opposed sides adapted to slidably en- 30 gage the channels of the bottom member, a cover for said top member, hinge means running transversely along one flangeless side of the said top member so as to extend beyond the flanges, said hinge means serving to unite said cover and said 35 upper member in hinged relation, and said hinge means also serving as stops to limit the sliding of the upper member in relation to the lower member by the engagement of the end portions thereof with the end walls of the channel. w

4. In a combined vanity and cigarette case, a lower compartment comprising bottom walls, side walls and a top wall, said top wall having raised portions along the sides thereof and a central depressed portion, and channels located at the 45 top of said compartment along two opposed sides, and said upper compartment comprising bottom walls and side walls, and having flange members along two opposed sides adapted to slidably engage the channels of the bottom member, a cover 50 for said top member, hinge means running transversely along one flangeless side of the said top member so as to extend beyond the flanges, said hinge means serving to unite said cover and said upper member in hinged relation, and said hinge means also serving as stops to limit the sliding of the upper member in relation to the lower member by-the engagement of the end portions thereof with the end walls of the channel, a transverse reinforcing member on the bottom 69 wall oi! the upper compartment on the other unflanged side 01 said upper compartment, said reinforcing member having its ends providedwith downwardly extending portions extending into the space between the bottom of the upper and 65 the top or the lower compartment and adapted to act as stops to limit the sliding of the upper in relation to the lower member, by engagement thereof with portions of the upper wall of the said lower compartment. 70

edge portions stepped downward so as to form a space between said upper compartment and the upper wall of said lower compartment and having its middle portion further stepped downward so as to form a well.

6. A combined vanity and cigarette case having an upper compartment and a lower compartment slidably related, said lower compartment being formed with an upper wall having its edge portions raised and the portions adjacent said edge portions stepped downward so as to form a space between said upper compartment and the upper wall of said lower compartment and having its middle portion further stepped downward so as to form a well adapted to receive powder, and a mirror positioned in said first named space and hinged to said upper wall.

I. A combined vanity and cigarette case having an upper compartment and a lower compartment slidably related, said lower compartment being formed with an upper wall having its edge portions raised and the portions adjacent said edge portions stepped downward so as to form a space between said upper compartment and the upper wall of said lower compartment and having its middle portion further stepped down so as to form a well, and channels formed along opposed sides of said upper wall.

8. In a combined vanity and cigarette case, a

lower compartment comprising bottom walls, side walls and a topwall, said top wall having raised portions along the sides thereof and a central depressed portion, and channels located at the top of said compartment along two opposed sides, and said upper compartment comprising bottom walls and side walls, and having flange members along two opposed sides adapted to slidably en gage the channels of the bottom member, a cover for said top member, hinge means running transversely along one flangeless side of the said top member so as to extend beyond the flanges, said hinge means serving to unite said cover and said upper member in hinged relation, and said hinge means also serving as stops to limit the sliding of the upper member in relation to the lower member by the engagement of the end portions thereof with the end walls of the channel, and the bottom wall of the upper compartment adjacent the other unfianged side of said upper compartment being provided with downwardly extending portions extending into the space between the bottom of the upper and the top of the lower compartment and adapted to act as stops to limit the sliding of the upper in relation to the lower member, by engagement thereof with portions of the upper wall of the said lower compartment.

HAROLD MAGNUS. 

